low oil pressure?

[JiveMasterT]

will someone please tell me if my oil pressure is supposed to be this low? when my car is at idle the pressure just seems really low to me, please see the attached picture. when i rev it up, the pressure goes around the middle mark. i drive a manual gsx btw.

 

[GSXanimal]

Thats normal for a warmed up engine, then at around 3000 rpm it should be at the center or above. Nothing to worry about

 

[JiveMasterT]

heh, big difference going from a chevy to a dsm... there also seems to be a slight ticking noise under the hood, but that might just be the belts. how would i tell if it is some lifter tick or valve tap or whatever the tick that everyone complains about?

 

[Defiant]

Yup, normal. So is the lifter tick. The motors only seem to last a couple hundred-thousand miles with it. Easiest way to tune it out is to turn the stereo volume knob firmly to the right.

 

[boostnbuds]

I would have to agree about the tick repair,and when the car is warm and at idle the oil pressure is always low like that...it took me awhile to get used to it too.

 

[billdo_83]

Originally posted by Defiant
Yup, normal. So is the lifter tick. The motors only seem to last a couple hundred-thousand miles with it. Easiest way to tune it out is to turn the stereo volume knob firmly to the right.

I would get 3rd Revisioin HLAs.
get rid of the tick forever.

 

[JiveMasterT]

Originally posted by billdo_83
I would get 3rd Revisioin HLAs.
get rid of the tick forever.

huh? am i missing a joke?

 

[billdo_83]

Originally posted by JiveMasterT
huh? am i missing a joke?

You were complaining about hearing a tick when your car was idling. That is from your lifters. They are actaully called Hydralic Lash Adjusters (HLA)
There are 3rd revision (3rd Gen) that you can buy for 7.74$ a peice and you wont have lifter tick anymore

Its no joke either

 

[JiveMasterT]

how difficult is it to replace the lifters? ive never done any internal engine work... do i have to pull the block or can i just take off the valve cover?

 

[Defiant]

It's only "kinda" internal work. You lever the rockers out of the way, yank and replace. Scary if you're not used to it, kind of expensive for a needless repair, and no guarantee that I know of that you'll never have tick again.

The job is essentially the same across generations. It's not as involved as replacing valve stem seals, but there are ways to make an expensive, extensive mistake:

http://vfaq.com/mods/lifters.html

 

[Alvaro3Jr]

I hate to jump on the thread, but this is kind of related. I've been used to the lifter tick, although I am not sure this the same. Recent rebuild, about 3K on it with 95 pistons. Just recently (last 500 miles or so) I can hear what I believe to be lifter tick, or some type of tap when I release the throttle from about 2.5k or so, but only under a load. At the track I can't hear it, or if I shift from higher rpm's. I think I can hear it when the engine is at about 3K, but only if there is a load on the engine. If I have the car in neutral, I can't hear it at all. It is only really audible when, I release the throttle.

I have been using the above fix (IE turn up the radio,) but decided to post and see if anybody has some help. I plan to pull the lifters and clean them with some carb cleaner or something to see if it helps. I just have to get rid of the oil leak I have. I kind of bent up the oil pan and oil pressure sending units when I removed the engine, and now it seems that is where it is leaking from. I already redid the oil pan gasket, front main, front cover and all related gaskets and it still leaks. I guess I am going to replace the oil pan and the oil pressure bulbs. Anybody got an oil pan for sale?